David Blaine and a fabulous lesson on the truthfulness of ‘news.’

Maybe you're right and it's all just a trick. But I don't understand the trick then.

As far as I understood, it was all set up in a way to not kill him but is still a bullet into a cup which was made to catch it. If it's an illusion
then I guess I don't get it then. I don't see where the trick is exactly.

But I could be wrong. Sometimes I don't understand the point behind his tricks after all.

I thought they packed the bullet with less fire power and stuff so it could be done. But maybe I'm wrong. I guess I just don't get what the trick is
then.

He studiously plans and tests his tricks. Keep in mind that he used a .22 rifle. There are all sorts of stock .22 bullets. I'll wager that the type
he probably used was one that has NO powder propelling it, merely the explosive force of the standard primer which provides a light "bang" sound.
While my box is clearly labeled "Long Rifle" that is a mischaracterization of the actual cartridge. The casing is of that length, but the bullet is
quite small, 20 grams versus a ordinary LR bullet weight of 36 or 40 grains. In my estimation, having fired several of those bullet, they would pack
about the punch of a low-power, consumer pellet rifle.

His "sunglasses," if of a shooter's type, would stop the bullet from damaging his eyes. There would be no threat of death with such a bullet.

I'm not claiming that this was his rig, but a explanation of how he could have rigged it.

You're wrong actually. It happened just like he said it did. You can watch it as there is a video documentary about it. On his team is a guy who
makes the mouthpiece for him. It's a custom fit mouthpiece that is supposed to stop the bullet. It's a real bullet too btw.

However, on one performance the mouthpiece shattered as it stopped the bullet sending fragments to the back of his throat. This was always a
possibility and one of the reasons why so many people close to him don't like that he does it, but he does it anyway.

It normally doesn't shatter like that but this time it did.

Rather than just guess about what you think happened you should just watch the whole video about it.

Ah. Must totes be real. Another story fed to the public, by Blaine, built up to this exact moment and makes the danger of this 'trick' seem even more
credible.

No good magician could possibly figure out a plan to make their greatest 'trick' ever seem more credible, eh?

There seems to be a general mis understanding, especially on the right wings, as to what constitutes "fake news".

Fake news is reporting a fake story about events or actions that never happened. Usually, fake news promotes a fake discussion about the subject of
the fake news.

Fake news is often linked to real news making it all the more difficult to understand. Fake news is also often presented as opinion on news shows and
talk shows therefore muddling the issue. In general, people CANNOT tell the difference between opinion and actual news.

Some of the most believable fake news uses a real news story in the basis of the fake news. One of the most successful fake news stories of the
modern era is the whole "Hillary is responsible for Benghazi" mess that has been perpetrated over the last few years. This was done, not as a
statement of fact (which is different from the truth) but rather as an ongoing effort to discredit HIllary Clinton. After all, the GOP have known
since 2008 that she was going to be the candidate in 2016, so they've had that long to set her up in the minds of Americans.

Thanks to modern day beliefs, opinion shows and websites such as Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Huffington Post website
(almost all of it) are now believed as regular news outlets, often to the determent of actual news outlets.

Most of these people spout their own opinion about stories which is then taken as fact and magnified, and gets blown up into major fake news stories
about major items, often linked to actual news to give them added credibility.

It's time that opinion shows were removed from news networks. It's time that the news networks went back to reporting NEWS and not trying to pass off
opinion about news events as actual news stories.

I heard there was a call for a new regulation agency - it might actually be a good idea.

originally posted by: babybunnies
There seems to be a general mis understanding, especially on the right wings, as to what constitutes "fake news".

Fake news is reporting a fake story about events or actions that never happened. Usually, fake news promotes a fake discussion about the subject of
the fake news.

I am not right wing, but I would say reporting on a near-death experience that never happened constitutes 'fake news.'

Did the DM probe Blaine on whether it was a fake event? No. They simply reported the alleged near-death experience as if it was fact. They repeated
fake news and never bothered to challenge it, at all.

I thank you for telling me exactly what you think is 'fake news,' but I do sense that it is a very flexible term to define for partisans.

originally posted by: introvert
Even if they are incorrect in their assessment of the validity of the BC, it's still not "fake news".

Again, agree to disagree on what this brand new term, 'fake news,' means exactly. It constitutes 'fake news' in the way I understand the
term.

No. I don't think we can agree to disagree on something like this.

We know the definition of 'fake' and the definition of 'news'.

Ever since it was discovered that people on the other side of the globe were profiting from creating websites that produced fake Right Wing news, the
term "fake news" has become a term used as a defense mechanism, probably out of embarrassment, that encompasses news that may be factually incorrect,
biased or out-of-context. Some are using the term for sources just because they disagree with them.

You don't get to do that here. You cannot change the definitions to fit your political agenda or as a tactic of discourse/debate.

originally posted by: introvert
Even if they are incorrect in their assessment of the validity of the BC, it's still not "fake news".

Again, agree to disagree on what this brand new term, 'fake news,' means exactly. It constitutes 'fake news' in the way I understand the
term.

No. I don't think we can agree to disagree on something like this.

We know the definition of 'fake' and the definition of 'news'.

Ever since it was discovered that people on the other side of the globe were profiting from creating websites that produced fake Right Wing news, the
term "fake news" has become a term used as a defense mechanism, probably out of embarrassment, that encompasses news that may be factually incorrect,
biased or out-of-context. Some are using the term for sources just because they disagree with them.

You don't get to do that here. You cannot change the definitions to fit your political agenda or as a tactic of discourse/debate.

I have no political agenda. 'Fake' means 'not real' and 'news' means 'something that is reported by a purported news source as news.'

I am 'allowed' to use those definitions. You aren't the decider. The term 'fake news' is completely machinated and open to interpretation.

I'll agree to disagree with you and you can just stew if that's how you want it.

You're wrong actually. It happened just like he said it did. You can watch it as there is a video documentary about it. On his team is a guy who
makes the mouthpiece for him. It's a custom fit mouthpiece that is supposed to stop the bullet. It's a real bullet too btw.

However, on one performance the mouthpiece shattered as it stopped the bullet sending fragments to the back of his throat. This was always a
possibility and one of the reasons why so many people close to him don't like that he does it, but he does it anyway.

It normally doesn't shatter like that but this time it did.

Rather than just guess about what you think happened you should just watch the whole video about it.

Videos lie. And Magicians lie to your face whenever they perform. It's the nature of their art.

I have build props and sets for Magicians, have worked with them as they taught students. I have worked with "up and coming magicians" and consulted
with them on technical issues from lighting to effects, to scenery. I have even built a few of their tricks. For the record, I've never helped
originate a trick.

Magicians refer to themselves as illusionists for a reason. They are never in the danger you perceive.
I've never worked on this particular gag, but I can say:
The gun doesn't fire a bullet.
A mouthpiece wouldn't stop a bullet. (nor would the cup)

Stop and think about the situation as a whole. At Blaine's level he is not putting his life on the line by doing a trick.

.

.

.

Or do you think things like sawing someone in half is real?

ETA I can also tell you how they do most of the stuff at Disney theme parks. I just wouldn't want to ruin the Magic.

I know magic isn't real. But I didn't think this was supposed to be an illusion to start with. I thought the point of it was that it was all set up
so that it would work as long as he didn't get off target. As in the bullet was specially packed and the cup and all that was made to withstand the
impact.

I didn't think it was supposed to be an illusion but more of a stunt. But I could be wrong. Although I don't see what the trick would be in that
case. Why go through all the extra work of having a steel cup and mouthpiece and stuff. If it's an illusion then catch it in your teeth or something
like that.

But like I said, I don't always understand the point of some of his stuff anyway. I don't see this as a trick. I see it more of a stunt like getting
shot out of a cannon or something.

As far as fake news goes it's not a left or right issue. False news is just false news and it can fool whoever reads it. Nobody on the left or right
matters. Some news with a certain agenda will fool one side or the other or both. But in either case it's bad reporting or just plain lying.

I don't think this would count though since it's entertainment media about a magician. I'm not sure how news worthy it really is for starters. Plus
if it is fake, they may have been genuinely fooled themselves, who knows. I mean what makes you think they knew it was fake even if it is fake???

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